Thursday, December 22, 2011

Bittersweet Chocolate Pecan Pie

Tomorrow
I am joining the massive amount of New Yorkers hailing a cab early in the
morning, loaded down with luggage and heading to the airport. My little (and I do want the emphasize
little) airplane will battle the impending winter storm and transport me to the
mountains of Virginia. Home for the
holidays, though sadly without my favorite guy.

Going home means family, relaxation, sweet tea, and homemade cookies. It means I am in the South again, where life is a little slower, a little sweeter.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE

Yields one 9-inch pie

This is my take on the pecan pie, a
classic Southern treat. While I love all
things sweet, I sometimes find pecan pie to have a rather cloying sweetness. To balance the sweetness, I add a thin layer
of bittersweet chocolate to the bottom of the pie shell. Enjoy your slice of pie with a dollop of
whipped cream or with my favorite accompaniment, a scoop of Bourbon Ice Cream.

Make the pie crust: Whisk the dry ingredients
together and blend with a hand-held pastry blender the chopped, cold butter,
being careful not to overwork. The butter should be in pea-sized chunks, not
too big, but not completely incorporated.

Slowly add the ice water and vinegar mixture and
bring the dough completely together by hand, again being careful not to
overwork. Aim to create a marbleized effect, so that the butter is still
visible. Form into a disc, wrap in
plastic, and chill at least 1 hour before use.

Roll out dough into a 13-inch round on
a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin. Fit into a 9-inch
pie plate. Trim excess dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold overhang under
and press against rim of pie plate, then crimp decoratively. Chill at least 1 hour or up to overnight
before use.

When pie shell is chilled, preheat the
oven to 375°F.

In a metal bowl set over barely
simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat,
wiping the bottom of the bowl with a towel.

With a small offset spatula, spread the
melted chocolate evenly over the bottom of the pie shell. Allow the chocolate to set slightly, then
cover with pecans.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together
the eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt, then whisk in the corn syrup. Pour the mixture over the pecans.

Bake pie until filling is puffed and
crust is golden, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool pie on a rack to warm or room
temperature. Pie can be baked 1 day ahead and
chilled, uncovered, until cool, then covered.
Reheat in a 350°F oven until warm, about 10 minutes.

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